Means for adjusting thermostatic relays



' Nov. 3', 1953 R. FILLIETTE MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THERMOSTATIC RELAYS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 17, 1952 Nov. 3, 1953 R. FlLLlETTE Filed June 17, 1952 MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THERMOSTATIC RELAYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 3, 1953 MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THERMOSTATIC RELAYS Raymond Filliette, Rueil-Malmaison, France, assignor to La Tlmcanque Electrique (S0- cit Anonyme), Seine, France, a French com- Dany Application June 17, 1952, Serial No. 294,087

Claims priority, application France August 31, 1951 16 Claims. (Cl. Z200- 116) Thermostatic relays are generally capable of a certain amount of adjustment by which the user is able to adapt the relay accurately to the required operational characteristics and also the designer is enabled to produce a limited number of diiferent designs of relays, to cover a large range of possible characteristics.

For the latter reason, the usual ranges of adjustment are in practice too extensive for the users requirements, which may lead to errors in adjustment. The ratio of the minimum value to the maximum value for the tripping current is, for example, of the order of from 1 to 1.16 while a ratio of the order of from 1 to 1.25, for

example, would be entirely satisfactory. The

problem therefore arises of considerably reducing the ranges of adjustment. However, such a reduction would result in a corresponding increase in the number of designs of relays necessary to cover the whole range of tripping currents.

The present invention relates to an improved means for the adjustment of thermostatic relays, by which it is possible to maintain a relatively large range of adjustment while only allowing a much reduced margin of adjustment in the use of the relay. This improvement consists in subdividing a total possible displacement of the movable parts of an adjusting device, by means of stops, into a number of partial displacements each corresponding to an adjustment range, the change from one range to another being effected by a different operation than that by which the adjustment within the required range is elected.

Preferably, an adjustable member capable only oi a limited displacement is adapted to be coupled in various positions with the adjusting device so that the choice of the adjustment range is determined by the position of the coupling, while the extent of the range is determined by the amplitude of the displacement of the adjustable member.

In particular, in one embodiment of the invention, a thermostatic relay is provided with a rotary adjustable member adapted to be coupled with a transmission member of the adjusting device, which is also adapted for rotation, in a predetermined number of relative angular positions, for example three positions 120 apart, the angular displacement of the whole assembly then being limited by stops associated with the said adjustable member.

The relay may be of the known type in which the adjustment of operation is effected by varying the point at which a lever forming a stop engages with a movable contact urged in the opposite direction to the said stop by a spring force at opening or at closing of the relay. The said lever is associated with one or more bimetallic strips so as to free the said movable contact by its movement when the said bimetallic strip or strips are sufciently deformed, that is to say, when a suicient current flows therethrough. In this type of relay according to the invention, the movable contact is mounted on a support adapted to effect translational movement with respect to the said lever under the action of a cam actuated by the adjustable member so that operation of the latter causes the translational movement of the support and consequently a variation of the said point of engagement of the lever with the contact.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of example, and in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal section through a thermostatic relay, according to the invention showing parts for the control and adjustment thereof.

Figures 2 and 3 are sections on the lines II-II and III-III respectively of Figure 1, the insulating casing of the relay being omitted in Figure 2.

Figure l is a View in perspective, partly broken away, of the relay, the casing being removed, and

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the relay.

The relay illustrated in the drawings comprises current input and output terminals l and E formed by rods extending through an insulating support or housing 5. The said rods are connected to conductor plates 3 and li respectively, which are provided with extensions da and ta. The extension 3a is in permanent contact with a resilient metal blade 6 having at its free end a contact stud ta adapted to engage a second contact formed by a stud 'la Situated at the end of a lever pivoted upon a pin 8. The said lever is subjected to the action of a spring blade 9 tending to move it away from the strip la and thus break the contact between studs Ba and la. The said spring 8 makes contact with the plate fla and forms the electrical connection between the terminal 2 and the stud la. The two spring blades 6 and 9 are secured to the housing ii by screws 23.

In the position illustrated in the drawings, the contact is closed. Breaking of the contact by pivoting of the lever 'l about the pin 8 under the action of the spring 9 is prevented by a stop bearing against a nger 'lb secured to the lever '1. rlhe stop lll is rigidly connected by a support or locking lever H to a shaft l2 adapted to pivot about its axis 5120 'the said shaft yhavingisecured thereto 'one or more levers i3 each .co-operating with a bimetallic strip I4 through which the current to be controlled flows.

The pin 8 is mounted on..an arm I5 secured to a plate i6 having at its centre an "aperture-l1 through which the end 2c of a cylindrical casing I3 of insulating material xfreelvpasses, ythe said end being formed with an annular groovefZ- l.

The cylindrical part 22 o''Ithelcasing .lisso engaged as to be able to turn without substantial play in a bearing c of the housing 5. Thecasn ing i3 includes between its two cylindrical parts 2!) and 22 a portion I9 of spiral sectionztoiprovide an inclined bearing surface.

The plate lli is urged against the'end ofthe bearing 5a. by a resilient plate 3S engaged in -thegrcovell in the casing I8, which in turn .bears .against .the'housing '5 "byits shoulder lill).

`ln addition, the lateral edges of the said lplate `can slide against .theinnerfaces of the housing `5 (ligure) ,and the plate .I6 and thernembers ,mounted thereonare capable of effecting-vertical `sliding movement relative'to thehousing' and `prisesti/o `right-angled extensions 33 and 34 diametrally .opposed withrespect to the'casing rvI8 and situated .longitudinally 'thereof t0 Vcorrespond withthe spiral bearing surface I9. Mounted between ,theextensionll and the lower'pa'rto'i the .bearing vlid is a spring' 35 :which'tends tomove the plate ,le downwardly. This 'movement is Y.couiflteracted' by va screw t5 .extending 'th-rough a threaded hole vin the extension V Mythe end of -which `screw` rests on the surface-S through an .aperture in the bearingiic, and islo'cked-'by a lock nut 31.

The .casing 'i8 comprises a cylindrical cavity |150., atthe .closed end of which aradial'stud 24 projects. A -cylindrical member 2-5, in one end of whichthree radial notches 2E -arefornied'120 apart, witha width. slightly larger than-that'of Aportion A,fl-El intended 4to "facilitate 'thecperation 'thereof as will be' hereafter'described. A plate 5E V`secured to the housing'byiscrewsl closes the recess il and mantainsthemember 25 engaged inthe casing lb?.

-IrIhe relativeiangular position of the member l Riianolof the casing i8 can beobscrvedby means'of .the recessll through whichithe'shoulder it?) ofthe casing IB is visible. .Moreover;themember tivefto afscale 'on' the rirorit'iace ofrthehousing' 5. A rodil having secured at one'end `a buttonI extends `through the member '-25 "andi the casing Vl'and is supported and'guided bythesaid'meinber and'casing in suchv manner as toibe free to 'slidewith respectthereto, the other er innerend lbeing'adapted to engage'the stripl. A` stop `ring 29 secured-adjacent the inner-ends `permits the `rod'rZlto'act also ori-the` lever l -againstlthe action of the spring 9. Themovement of the rod 21 `islincited, Yin one direction, -by a `ring 3! "adaptedte abutagainst the endl-ofthe cylindrical Apart Eiland of thefcasing I8,'in"the other'direction by a shoulder 3| on theinterior of thememl"ber2`5- A sprngfi disposed within themember 4 25 and surrounding the rod 2 abuts at one end against the closed end of the said member and at thecther end against the Vbut-tonlil 'thus maintaining the rod'in thegpositicn illustrated in Figure l.

The whole relay is secured on a bar 39 by means of a strap 5G and of two nuts 4I screwed on to threaded rods42 =secured to the housing 5 and `I=locked by means of spring washers 43.

The arrangement hereinbeore described oper :ates in the-following manner:

. In .the I.position illustrated in Figure l, the relay is operated;,;the studs 5a and lo being in con." tact. The external electrical circuit is completed `through'the yterminal I, the plate S, the blade i?, istuds6a.-;ar1d"l' z, the lever l, the blade 5f, the plate :ligand the terminal 2. The blade 9 tends to move the stud la away from the stud to., but this is Vprevented by the stop IQ.

When a predetermined current flows through v the vvbimetallic strip 1M, the strip isxdeformed s0 that the freefendof :the leverfi' Ysecured .to the lshaft lf2 isrraised and consequently the: shaft froftates Aand `raises the lever H on which `:the stop `l@ 'is mounted. The movable'nontact 'la xisxthen free to move 4.'caclirvardlyfunderthe action ofthe spring blade S, :wherebythe circuitis broken. "lhenthe fbiroetallic istrip pools, the ilever l l falls back andA again*` a'butsagainstthe upperedge of `the`lever ."ln order'toareeset-theirelamit;is suiiicientfto depress therbuttonZS. ,Thexinner end Ioi? 'the rodi? tbenlengagesthepblade 'andLurge-s -it iorwardlyivfhile :the ring '29 engages: the llevar 17, thev upperedgerof .which iis '.ithusrmovedrfo 4wardly beyond fthe Astop l,r';whereupon fthe u said stop -is 4enabled sto move downwardly behind :the

said lever, "thus Vlocking:the latter 1 in hthe 'position illustratedinFigure"l. Onrrelease ofthe button 23, the 4blade @,:by its resiliencerrestores thecon- `tact and lensurestl'ie necessary contact pressure. lt is to be noted that, in order momentarily ,to `interrupt thercurrent inztlref'extreme circuituit is lsufficient :the 1 push the lbutton-213 :so Yas toimcvo the-bladeBawayfrom' .thelever-; the latter being' 1held in :position Nbyfthe :spring Lblade .5. :Thus

f1tbebutton".Zsserves'toresetithe;relay;antlfalso `to vfbrealr the fcircuit establishedbyLtheirelay.

' It is yobviousr :that :the :value sof the stripping `current depends Aupon thezpoint of 1 engagement of vthe 'stop lnwithttheiflever 1, that ,is'zto say, upon the fdistance between :the lower-edge tof the'stop .l0 andtheiupper=edgenofithe lever l. As -this distance zincreases, :the deformation y of the' -bimetallic strip :necessary for ensuring .the tripping, 'and consequently the. strength :of the current 'flowing' throughV thesaid v.bimetallicY strip In `order cto :regulate .the

ment-trom .the topzoflever 1.

'This adjustment: is effected by vertically. displacing the plate I' supporting theclever f1. 4,Such

ber 25, the latter -beingfreleasablyisecured `to `the casing i I8 through.one:of.,the notches 26 in :engagement .with thesstud 214. The:.maximum famplitu'defof' the :movement of .theaplate l.6.is

obviously obtained by rotating the casing I8 through one complete revolution which corresponds to a maximum range of adjustment of the order of 360.

However, owing to the fact that the stud 46 secured to the memb-er can only move in the sector li'.' of 120, only a corresponding rotation of the casing I is possible, that is to say, a range of adjustment of the order of one third of the maximum range.

In order to change from one range of adjustment to another it is preferable to detach the plate 5B by slackening the screw 5l, and then to pull the member 25 outwardly against the action of the spring 32 so as to disengage the notch 2E from the stud 24, as shown in Figure 4. The member 2.5 is then turned through 120 in the desired direction, so as to lbring a further notch 26 opposite the stud 24. The member 25 is then released and engages with the stud 2li, after which the member 25 together with the casing it is brought into a position in which the stud is engaged in the sector 41. The plate Eid is then re-iitted. For the calibration of the relay, the casing is being in a predetermined angular position, a given current is passed through the -bimetallic strip i4 and the screw 36 is so adjusted that tripping occurs. The position of the screw is then xed by the lock nut 3l and the upper part of the said screw can then be cut to prevent any subsequent alteration of the setting. It is thus possible to compensate initially for manufacturing tolerances in the different parts of the relay.

The active face of the stop ill is preferably in the form of an arc of a circle having a radius equal to its distance from the axis of rotation !Za of the shaft l2, so that the contact between the stop lil and the lever l is always a point contact.

It will be understood that modiiications may` be made in the construction hereinbefore described, by substitution of equivalent technical means, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a relay of the type described having conn tact means trippable between two conditions in response to a predetermined value assumed by a controlling factor, adjusting means displaceable over a comparatively wide range for correspondingly varying the value of said factor to which the contact means will respond, stop means for preventing effective displacement or the adjustiner means except in a selected one of a number of relatively narrow ranges included within said wide range, and range-selecting means for selecting the narrow range in which said adjusting means is effectively displaceable.

2. A relay as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controlling factor is the flow of current through a deformable heat-responsive element.

3. A relay as `claimed in clairn 2 wherein said element comprises a bi-metallic strip.

4. A relay as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adjusting means comprises contact carrying means displaceable with respect to a support to correspondingly vary said response value, a rst rotary member rotatable over a relatively wide angular range with respect to a support and drivingly .associated with said contact `carrying means, a second rotary member rotatable with respect to said support and to said first member, cooperating stop means on said support and on said second member adapted to limit the relative displacement therebetween to an angular range substantially narrower than said wide angular range, and cooperating means on said rst and `second member for connecting iboth members in rotation in any selected one of a number of different relative angular positions.

5. A relay as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adjusting means `comprises contact carrying means displaceable with respect to a support to correspondingly vary said response value, a iirst rotary member rotatable over a relatively wide angular range with respect to a support and drivingly associated with said contact carrying means, :a second rotary member rotatable with respect to said support and to said rst niember, cooperating stop means on the support and the second member adapted to limit the relative displacement therebetween to an angular range substantially equal to said wide range divided by an integral number, and cooperating notch and projecting means on said members for locking both members for bodily rotation in any selected one of a number, equal to said integral number, of relative angular p0- Y sitions.

6. In a tripping relay having a pair of contacts adapted to assume predetermined relative conditions, means deformable in response to current flow, movement transmitting means from the deformable means to a movable one of said contacts for tripping said contacts from one to the other condition after a predetermined amount of deformation of the deformable means has occurred, adjusting means displaceable over a relatively wide range for correspondingly varying the amount of deformation of the deformable means necessary to trip the contacts, means for preventing eilective displacement of the adjusing means except in a selected one of a ber of relatively narrow ranges included within said wide range, and adjustment selecting means for selecting the narrow in which said adjusting means is effectively displaceable.

7. A relay as claimed in claim 6, wherein said deformable means comprises bimetal strip means.

8. A relay as claimed in claim 6, which comprises biassing means urging` said one contact to one position, a member normally restraining said one contact in another position the force of said biassing means and operated from said deformable means in response to preM determined deformation thereof to release said one contact for movement bv its biassing means to its irst-mentioned position, and means operated by displacement of said adjusting means to alter the relative position between said mernber and said one contact in a direction to alter the amount of deformation necessary to operate said member for releasing said one contact.

9. A relay as claimed in claim 6, which comprises spring means urging said one contact to one position, a member rockable about an axis in response to deformations of the deformable means and having a part normally restraining said one contact in another position thereof against the force of said spring means, said member when rocked a predetermined angle being adapted to release said one contact for movement by its spring means, and means operated by displacement of said adjusting means to alter the relative position between said member and said one contact in a direction to alter the angle by which said member must be rocked for releasing said one contact.

10.. Arelayasclaimedfinolam 6, which coin- ,QITSGS @ring -mllS :lllglg :Seid :one `ilflfwf i90 .one-:position a memberrocirable aboutan vaxis A,in i response `to deformations `-of the deformable ,means and having a part-,circular abutting 4sur- Vtace ,coaxial `with -said axis `normally `in tan rgential engagement with asnrface of .saidone contact for restraining-said one vcontaetgin an- A other ,position thereof against theforce -of said v-spring-means, said ,member `when rocked Va -pre- ,determined Jangle being-adapted to release Asaid vonecontact for Imovement by its Yspring means,

iandmeansoperated by tneadjusting means for altering the relative posi-tion `between said one yoomqact VFind :Seid vmember inadrectionwnormal to vsaid axis to lalter ythe angle by which said :member must be `rocked iorgreleasing `'said v contact.

1,1. Arelay asclaimed in claim i6,which comprises `vspring means urging said one contact to one;V position, a member roekable Vrabowt-aio airis Ain response to rdeormations oi the deformable means :andbavine a part .normally restraining saidbne contact in another position thereof,

said member when rocked a predeterminedan- 4gie being 4adapted to release vone Contact formoven1ent-by its spring means, means-snp- ,porting said one AContact' for ldispiacementwrelN native to said member in a directionnormal to said axis to alter 4said :predetermined angle,

adapted fto releasesaid one contact for,move 'i ment `by its y springs means, a :support mounting said one Contact and displaceable relative to said rmember ina direction rnormal -to said axis vfor altering said predetermined angle, a cam `rotatable en `displace-:ment of ethe Aadjusting means, 'and Vrmeans adju-stably secured to said support and engaging the cam yfor displacement ofi-the:support'upon rotation of tbecam,` adjust- -pre-set reference position Aosaid .support with respect-:to said member.

1,4;.HA relay as,c1aimed in ,claim ri?, wherein .saidcameengaging means oomprsea screw adiustable with respect t0 ,Said support and having an end engaging the cam, and springrmeans acting onthe support to urgek saidvscrew yinto engagement with the cam.

.15. ,In arelayyof the typedescribed having Contact meanstrippable between two lconditions linyresponse. toa predetermined value of acontrolling factor, a rst rotary member movable `with yrespect toa support over. a ,relatively `wide range for correspondingly varying ,the value yof said `factor rto which the contact means will yrespond, .a-,second rotary member movable with respect-'tosaid supportand to the rstmember, -cooperati-ngstop lmeans on-ftne supportiand the :second memberadapted to limit tnerelativerdisplacement therebetween to an angularrangeA substantiallylnarrower than said Wide range,.and cooperating means on said members `for rlocking kboth members in `rotation ina-ny selected one of ,aenumber of differentrelative angular positions,

16.-,In alrelay-,ottthe type described havinga pai-r of contacts adapted to yassume diierent rela- A,tivefconditions, meansfdeformable in response-to `currentlowfmovement transmitting means from Vthe ,deformable means to atleast one movable lone `of said ycontacts for tripping said `contacts from one'to the other condition after apredetermined amountV of deformation ofr'the deformable means hasV occurred, -a diret lrotary member rotatable with respect to a supportover -a relativelywide range for correspondingly Varying the amount of deformation of the deformable means ,necessary to trip the contacts, a second rotary member movable with respect lto said supportand to saidfilrstfmember, cooperating lstop means on the support` and the second memberadapted .ato limit the relative displacement therebetween to an angular range substantially narrowertnansaid wide range, and'cooperating means on .said membersv forflocking both vroembers'lin'rotation in any selected. one of a number of relative angular positions.

RAYMONDFILLIETTE.

:References ,Cited in thefile of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date v2,214,695 Jennings Sept. 10, 1940 2,388,617 'Link Nov. 6, 1945 2,388,620 Runke Nov. 6, 1945 Y2,526,861 Getchell Oct. 24, 1950 

